Grant Information

Grants

Cavan Institute is an approved college for Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) maintenance grants.

PLC maintenance grants are available to eligible students attending full-time courses at Cavan Institute.

This grant must be applied for, through Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).

Medical Card Holders

Students who are medical card holders may be exempt from the government PLC levy and Irish state examination fees.

This exemption does not apply to any other examination body whose qualifications are available at Cavan Institute.

SUSI Eligibility Checker

Means-tested maintenance grants are available to eligible students attending approved fulltime courses of further education in approved Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) centres.

How to Apply for a Grant

All new applications must be made online to a single awarding authority called Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) through www.susi.ie. You do not have to wait until you receive an offer of a place or enrol in college. Only when your application has been completed in full and submitted to the grant awarding body can your eligibility be determined.

How to Submit your Supporting Documentation

Following initial assessment of your application, if eligible, you will receive by post a provisional grant approval and a personalized list of the supporting documents you will need to return to complete your application. Completed documentary evidence packs (photocopies of the documents, not originals) should be returned as soon as possible in the envelope provided to you. When you return all the necessary supporting documents, SUSI will process your application to award stage, subject to confirmation of your acceptance on an approved course.

When will I receive a final decision from SUSI?

When you confirm acceptance of a place on an approved course (usually in late August or early September), your grant is awarded and payment will be made on a monthly basis (subject to confirmation of attendance) directly into your designated Irish bank account.

Where can I contact SUSI?

• Monday to Friday 9.00am - 5.30pm excluding bank holidays

• Email: support@susi.ie

• Telephone 0818 888 777 or +353 1 524 227 if calling from abroad

• www.facebook.com/susisupport
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) allows qualifying persons to return to full-time education in approved courses while continuing to get income support. The BTEA allows people in receipt of certain social welfare payments to retain those payments whilst participating in approved full-time courses in further and higher education.

How to Apply

All information in respect of the BTEA is available from the Department of Social Protection at www.welfare.ie or www.studentfinance.ie

Eligibility for a Student Grant while in Receipt of BTEA

Since September 2010, students entering a new course who are in receipt of the BTEA are no longer eligible for a maintenance grant. Such students can, however, apply under the student grant scheme to have the student contribution charge and any tuition fees payable for the course paid on their behalf. From June 2014 all new BTEA claims from jobseekers must be recommended by a Department of Social Protection (DSP) case officer before a decision can be made.
The scheme is an educational opportunities initiative for unemployed persons, which is funded by the Department of Education and Skills with assistance from the European Social Fund. The scheme is operated through the new Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and provides a special range of courses designed to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people.

Qualifying Conditions

To be eligible for VTOS, you must be:

at least 21 years of age at the commencement of the course.

in receipt of an unemployment payment or signing

For more information, email adriennecunningham@cavaninstitute.ie or 049 433 2633
The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time students with disabilities. The fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability.

Applications to the fund are made on behalf of an eligible student by Cavan Institute following an assessment of needs under HEA fund for Students with Disabilities. Applications cannot be made directly to the fund by students.

For further information on the types of disabilities covered under the fund and the supports available, speak to Faela Heavin, Learning Support Teacher at Cavan Institute, or check the Department of Education and Skills website  www.education.ie  or  www.studentfinance.ie